Pulmonology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

V Code Vital for TB Test Claim

Published on Mon Apr 28, 2008

Question: When the pulmonologist's staff applies a purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculosis (TB) test on a patient, what V code should I report? I was thinking V03.2, but that diagnosis does not exactly describe the service. Any tips?

Washington, D.C., Subscriber

Answer: You should report V74.1 (Special screening examination for bacterial and spirochetal diseases; pulmonary tuberculosis) when your pulmonologist's staff applies a PPD TB test.

Code V03.2 (Need for prophylactic vaccination and inoculation against bacterial diseases; tuberculosis [BCG]) is for vaccination with BCG, whereas the PPD test is for screening.

Report 86580 (Skin test; tuberculosis, intradermal) for the test with V74.1 appended.

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